Japan says Moon lander 'resumed operations'
TOKYO, Japan — Japan's Moon lander has resumed operations, the space agency said on Monday, indicating that power had been restored. "Last evening we succeeded in establishing communication with SLIM, and resumed operations," JAXA said on X, formerly Twitter. The agency posted on X an image shot by the Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) of "toy poodle", a rock observed near the lander. The touchdown made Japan only the fifth nation to achieve a soft lunar landing, after the United States, the Soviet Union, China and India. US firm Astrobotic's Peregrine lunar lander began leaking fuel after takeoff this month, dooming its mission.
Source:Philippine Star
January 29, 2024 17:32 UTC
Oil rises on fresh Middle East fears after attack on US base
Oil rises on fresh Middle East fears after attack on US baseWorking oil pumpjacks on the outskirts of Maricopa in Kern County, California, on September 21, 2023, where agriculture and oil are key to the region's economy. HONG KONG, China — Oil rose Monday on fresh Middle East fears as Joe Biden pledged to retaliate after blaming Iran-backed rebels for the killing of three US service members in a drone attack on a base in Jordan. Both main crude contracts rose more than one percent in early trade -- hitting levels not seen since November -- before paring the gains slightly. There was little immediate reaction from traders to news that a Hong Kong court had issued a winding-up order against Chinese developer Evergrande. The decision came amid worries that a huge debt crisis in China's property sector could spill over into the wider economy.
Source:Philippine Star
January 29, 2024 16:29 UTC
WATCH: Marcoses, officials attend 'Bagong Pilipinas' kick-off rally (Part 3/4)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., together with the First Family and members of the Cabinet, launched the 'Bagong Pilipinas' brand of governance during a kick-off rally at the Quirino Grandstand in the City of Manila on Sunday, January 28, 2024. Video From RTVMGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Source:Manila Times
January 29, 2024 15:52 UTC
WATCH: Marcoses, officials attend 'Bagong Pilipinas' kick-off rally (Part 1/4)
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., together with the First Family and members of the Cabinet, launched the 'Bagong Pilipinas' brand of governance during a kick-off rally at the Quirino Grandstand in the City of Manila on Sunday, January 28, 2024. Video From RTVMGet the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Source:Manila Times
January 29, 2024 14:45 UTC
China allows Philippines to supply troops at disputed reef
A Philippine flag flutters from BRP Sierra Madre, a dilapidated Philippine Navy ship that has been aground since 1999 and became a Philippine military detachment on the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea. (Reuters)The Chinese coastguard said it had made "temporary special arrangements" to allow the Philippines to deliver supplies to troops at a grounded World War Two-era vessel at a disputed reef. The Chinese coastguard has previously deployed vessels to block missions by the Philippines to supply troops on the transport ship, which has become a military outpost at the Second Thomas Shoal, 190 km (118 miles) off the Philippine Island of Palawan. "On Jan. 21, a small aircraft from the Philippines airdropped supplies to the illegally beached warship," the WeChat statement said. China, which claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, points to a line on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
Source:The Standard
January 29, 2024 13:28 UTC
Marcos OKs military’s P2-trillion wish list for weapons, equipment
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has approved the military’s revised wish list for new weaponry and equipment to shore up the country’s defenses against threats, in the face of a rapidly evolving regional security landscape. ADVERTISEMENTDefense sources said the revised procurement plan would have a timeline of 10 years and cost around P2 trillion. A list of equipment under the new plan was not immediately available. The previous Horizon 3 list included multi-role fighters, radars, frigates, missile systems, and rescue helicopters. The Department of National Defense (DND) has been allocated a P278-billion budget for 2024, with P40 billion intended for the AFP modernization program.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 29, 2024 09:14 UTC
Iloilo City’s Dinagyang closes with colorful dance parade
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines — This city’s famed Dinagyang Festival came to an end on Sunday with thousands of people pouring into the city’s streets to watch the dance parade that marked the end of festivities held in honor of the Señor Sto. Dinagyang Festival, positioned as the focal point of Iloilo City’s cultural calendar, features marquee events, such as the Ati-Ati Tribes competition, Kasadyahan sa Kabanwahanan, Dinagyang ILOmination and Sadsad sa Calle Real. Visitors were also treated to the Dinagyang Festival Costumes Exhibit from Jan. 17 to Jan. 28 and the One Visayas Creative Expo 2024 from Jan. 22 to Jan. 28. The festival also featured the Iloilo Drumbeats Competition on Jan. 25 and the Viva Music Festival on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28. Subscribe to our daily newsletter SIGN ME UPThe Ati-Atihan Festival, also in honor of the Sto.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 29, 2024 01:07 UTC
Farmers, fishers say ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ offers no solutions to their problems
Farmers, fishers say ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ offers no solutions to their problemsFishermen arrive to unload their catch for the day at a fish port in Paranaque, Metro Manila on July 12, 2023. MANILA, Philippines — Peasant groups denounced Sunday the so-called “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) movement of the Marcos Jr. administration, saying this fails to address the root causes of their struggles and offers no real solutions to the country’s problems. The government will hold a rally this afternoon at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila to launch the “Bagong Pilipinas” branding, which started in 2023. Similarly, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said that “Bagong Pilipinas”—which is reminiscent of the Bagong Lipunan (New Society) vision of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.—“cannot cover up” the country’s long-standing problems. “The New Philippines does not provide real and effective solutions to the country's problems,” it added.
Source:Philippine Star
January 28, 2024 22:02 UTC
X to open new office to combat child porn
SAN FRANCISCO, United States — Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, will open a moderation office in Texas with an emphasis on fighting content linked to child sexual abuse, the company said. X's announcement comes ahead of a hearing in the US Senate on Wednesday, titled "Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis." She was in Washington last week to meet with elected officials from both parties on topics including child protection, content moderation, disinformation and artificial intelligence. "We wanted to help Senators/staff understand how X is a new company and what has evolved over the past 14 months. The action was the first against a major online platform since Brussels implemented the Digital Services Act (DSA), a sweeping piece of European Union legislation that strengthens online companies' responsibility for content moderation.
Source:Philippine Star
January 28, 2024 18:41 UTC
Indian navy aids vessel struck by missile
NEW DELHI: A guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam, responded to an SOS call by a merchant ship struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, officials said Saturday. The merchant vessel (MV) Marlin Launda was hit on Friday night, following which it caught fire. A guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam, responded to an SOS call by a merchant ship struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, officials said Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. XINHUA PHOTOAccording to officials, the MV has 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi crew onboard. The navy further said it remains steadfast and committed to safeguarding the MV and ensuring the safety of life at sea.
Source:Manila Times
January 28, 2024 16:23 UTC
WATCH: Success behind two start-ups
When Kernan and Louraine started TECHSUPPORT and IMPEXTIC Logistics, the challenges that faced them were daunting, the biggest of which was Covid-19. Transportation of essential goods became complicated and reliable communication channels crucial. They were, however, determined to see it through. Today, they collectively have 100 individuals in their employ and their businesses, to say the least, is thriving. Get the latest newsdelivered to your inbox Sign up for The Manila Times newsletters By signing up with an email address, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Source:Manila Times
January 28, 2024 14:56 UTC
Go Negosyo backs First Lady's LAB program
CONTRIBUTED PHOTOConcepcion met with the first lady last January 23 to explore how Go Negosyo can contribute to her LAB For All program. "The provision of primary health care services goes hand-in-hand with giving people the ability to continually care for themselves and their families," Concepcion said. "This Lab for All project hopes to provide free laboratory, free consultations and free medicines to our kababayans (fellow citizens). "My husband would always say that it is important that we prioritize health care. The government must bring health care to the people.
Source:Manila Times
January 28, 2024 06:18 UTC
Pakistan's ex-PM Khan, PTI erased from campaign
A relentless crackdown widely attributed to Pakistan's powerful military has seen him and his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice or PTI) party almost erased from the election campaign ahead of the vote. Across the country, PTI has been obstructed from holding rallies, and the heavily censored media is restricted in its coverage of the opposition, pushing the party's campaign almost entirely online. "It feels disheartening that, as a candidate of Pakistan's leading political party, I am unable to conduct my campaign in a meaningful way," he told Agence France-Presse (AFP). Khan "is still popular with the public, but he is unacceptable" to the army, retired schoolteacher Ijaz Khan said. Khan's rival in Mianwali, Obaid Ullah Khan, is indifferent to the punishment meted out to his rival political party.
Source:Manila Times
January 27, 2024 22:11 UTC
Bosnian Muslims, Jews call for peace on Holocaust Remembrance Day
General Counsel Emeritus of the World Jewish Congress Menachem Rosensaft, right, signs a document representing a Muslim-Jewish peace initiative, with the Bosnian Grand Mufti Husein Kavazovic, at the Srebrenica Memorial Center, on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, in Potocari, Bosnia, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (Photo by ARMIN DURGUT / Associated Press)SREBRENICA, Bosnia-Herzegovina — Jews and Muslims from Bosnia and abroad gathered in Srebrenica on Saturday to jointly observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day and to promote compassion and dialogue amid the Israel-Hamas war. Menachem Rosensaft, a child of Holocaust survivors and until last summer the general counsel for the World Jewish Congress, was also in attendance. Their thriving community was decimated by the Holocaust and today numbers around 1,000 people. The commemoration was followed by the launch of the Srebrenica Muslim-Jewish Peace and Remembrance Initiative devised and signed by Rosensaft and Kavazović.
Source:Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 27, 2024 20:26 UTC
Constitutional crisis looms, warns Zubiri
Zubiri said the Senate had warned about a possible constitutional crisis when the House led a people's initiative campaign to amend the 1987 charter that would have allowed both Houses to vote together as a constituent assembly instead of separately. He went further by writing to Zubiri and expressing House support for RBH 6 and an "alternative" Senate-led people's initiative. In a statement on Friday, Zubiri acknowledged Romualdez's letter and assured him of a reply on Monday. In his letter to Zubiri, Romualdez said the deputy speakers, the majority leader and the minority leader are fully in support of RBH 6, which Zubiri filed on Jan. 15, 2024. You can no longer call it People's Initiative (PI)," Villanueva said.
Source:Manila Times
January 27, 2024 19:52 UTC